Melvin jmcks



(No Model.)

M. JINCKS.

WASH BOARD.

Patented Oct. 6, 1885 M m w v r M m 3 z WITNESSES n PETERS, PhMu-Utbomphfl. Wnhingmn u c.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN JINGKS, OF CONESUS CENTRE, NEW YORK.

WASH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,881, dated October 6, 1885.

Application filed December 5, 1884. Serial No. 149,586. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN J INCKS, of Conesus Centre, in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wash- Boards; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specifieation.

The invention relates to improvements in wash-boards, its objects being to construct a board which may be cheap and durable, and upon which soap may be retained in such manner that when clothes are rubbed on the board a thick lather will be formed and the clothes quickly cleansed thereby.

The invention consists in securing to the rubbing-surface of the board a number of long wire staples, arranged transversely in rows, the board being transversely grooved or channeled between the rows, which are arranged to break joints.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the board; Fig. 2, a section of the same on line or a, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a detail view of one of the staples or rubbing-wires.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by letter, A designates the frame of a wash-board of ordinary construction.

B is the rubbing'surface of the board, provided with the equidistant transverse grooves D, as shown. 7

B B are wire staples, made of brass or other metal that will not easily rust. The staples are preferably secured to the board between the channels D by driving their ends therein until their transverse central portions lie upon the board, and they are arranged in transverse rows,with adjacent rows breaking joints, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The manner of using the invention is as follows: The board being placed in thewashtub in the usual manner, the soap is wetted or soaked and rubbed briskly thereon. The wire staples cut into the soap and retain a portion of it all along their upper sides, so that it is spread over the board. The clothes are then put into the tub, and being rubbed up and down in the usual manner cause the soap retained-upon the wires to form a thick lather all over the board. The lather from each row of staples runs thence into the channel D immediately below, and is thereby retained a longer time on the board than if the latter were plain. The said channels are not intended as corrugations to assist in rubbing. Their proper function is as described. The breaking of the joints of the rows of staples also assists in keeping the lather on the board, as it cannot descend directly to the lower edge of the same, but must pass from the end of each staple over the staples below, as is evident.

The object of using the staples is to prevent the wire from being continuous across the board, so that the lather can descend at different points from one row to another, and thus be more equally distributed over the board.

The channels D may be omitted, and the board may still be used as described; but its action is much improved by the channels, and it is preferably made therewith.

I am aware that it is not new to construct a wash-board with continuous parallel wires arranged transversely across the board, with intermediate grooves, and such I do not claim; but i What I claim is 1. The combination, in a wash-board, of the rubbing-surface A and the transverse staples B, secured in transverse equidistant rows across the said surface, so as to retain soap thereon, and having their joints broken, so as to direct the descending lather from one row to the lower adjacent row, substantially as specified.

2. In a wash-board, the combination of the rubbing-surface A, provided with the transverse equidistant channels D, with the trans verse staples B, secured to the rubbing-surface in transverse rows between the channels, and so arranged that adjacent rows break joints, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN J INOKS.

\Vitnesses:

J. B. THURSTON, JERRY Hours. 

